Contents

Fun Times

Lian sat at the bar in the mess hall of Home Base with an untouched glass of liquor, holding a necklace with a carved stone hanging off it. She'd carved the stone two years ago for Nero. She bended the liquor in and out of the glass as Des sat down next to her.

"How you holding up?" Des asked while signaling for a glass.

"Fine." Lian replied quickly as she bended the liquid back into glass and chugging it.

"How do you know for sure?" Lian said bitterly as she tightened her grip around the necklace.

"It's Nero, he's kind of predictable in those terms." Des said while calling for another drink.

"Yeah well I guess you're right there." Lian said while doing the same.

There was a short pause where they said nothing, before Lian chuckled a little.

"What's so funny?" Des asked before downing his next drink.

"I was just remembering the last assignment the four of us were sent on." Lian said spinning her glass.

"The four us meaning you, me, Nero, and Zheng?" Des asked placing his glass down. "Yeah that was a good assignment."

"Nero and Zheng actually had a contest to see who could kill the most of them." Lian said before sipping her drink.

"Wasn't it a tie?" Des asked remembering the following "argument" over who won.

"Sort of, they had an Agni Kai for the tie breaker." Lian clarified.

"Oh yeah." Des said the memory coming back to him. "That's when Nero made Zheng blow his arm and leg off."

"Yeah we had some fun times with those two." Lian said before rising. "I should probably get going." As she made her way to the door Des downed one more glass.

"Good luck." he called after her.

"No such thing in this business." she replied before tossing the necklace she held in her hand into a trash bin.

To the North Pole

Katara walked around the Fire Nation Royal Palace, heading to Zuko's conference room. The decision to head to the Northern Water Tribe to recruit Master Pakku still echoed in her head. As she approached the conference, she saw the wolf that had been hanging around the palace for about a month. The wolf casually lifted its head as Katara walked past it.

"Still hanging around here?" Katara asked it as she passed through the door. The wolf simply lowered its head and went to sleep. Everyone else had already arrived.

"What took you so long?" Sokka asked as she took a seat.

"Sorry I kind of got lost." Katara explained, she hadn't been to the palace many times.

"Anyway so it's decided that we head to the Northern Water Tribe to find Master Pakku, correct?" Zuko interrupted before anyone could make a remark.

"Right, meanwhile Iroh and I will head to Omashu to find King Bumi." Riku confirmed.

"Alright then lets get moving." Zuko said dismissing everyone. When they left the room the wolf outside perked up and padded over to Zuko. "Why does this wolf like me so much?"

"I guess there's just something about you." Aang said kneeling down to pet the animal.

"All I know is that he's been hanging around since Nero's funeral." Iroh said while scratching his beard.

"Speaking of animals, there's something I've been meaning to ask you Aang." Sokka said as they headed over to Zuko's ship.

"What is it Sokka?" Aang responded.

"Where's Momo? I haven't seen him at all since we ran into each other at Omashu." Sokka asked looking around.

"Oh well, he found himself a girlfriend, Mimi." Aang explained. "I can't believe I forgot to tell you guys."

As they were about to board Zuko's ship, Mai, Lu Ten, and Ursa II walked up to them.

"We're coming with you guys." Mai declared as she started up the ramp.

"Zuko, you and I both know that they'll send assassins to come after us." Mai said pushing her way past him. "Being on the move with you is the safest place I can think of."

Zuko gave the others a pleading look that screamed a little help here, which was met with looks responding with we're staying out of this one. By the end of the conversation Mai, Lu Ten, and Ursa II were on the ship waiting to set sail.

After the ship set sail everyone met on the deck.

"So we're once again off to the North Pole." Sokka said leaning against the railing.

"Just like old times huh?" Aang threw into the conversation.

"Well not exactly." Katara broke in. "We have a few more people with us this time, and Zuko isn't chasing us there." Everyone laughed as Zuko blushed slightly.

"We sure had some crazy times on that road trip." Sokka agreed.

"If you ask me it was pretty predictable though." Zuko said, "It always ended up with me throwing fireballs at you guys." The group laughed even louder this time.

"Hopefully this time we can make fewer detours." Sokka added.

Trivia

Mimi was only thought up because of my own stupidity of leaving Momo out of the first book